Air-separator.



.No.j 728,473.'A

1 PATENTED-MAY 1 9., 1903. C. H.: LANE.

` AIR SEPARATOR. n APPLIoA'TIoN FILED oo'r. z, 1900.

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116.128,473. PATENTED'MAY19,1903. (LR-LANE.

AIR SBPARATOR. x APPL'IUA'TION FILED oom-z5, loop. f A .1ro MODEL.' 2 SHEETS-amm 2."

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NiTED STATES Patenten/ray 19, 1903. y'

PATENT OFFICE.

AIR-S E'PARATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming partof LettersPatent N o. 728,473, dated May 19, 1903.V

Application filed October 25, 1900. Serial No. 34,248. (No model.) I

To aZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. LANE, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Air-separators, (Case A,) of which the following is a full, clear, and Vexact description, reference being had to the accom.- panying drawings.

The invention relates to the class of apparatnses which are so organized that the lighter particles of a pulverized masswill be segregated from the heavier particles by means of a current of air.

One object ofthe present invention is to render the apparatus exceedingly efficient in its operation. an apparatus which may be adjustedin such manner as to vary the separationthat is to say, so that in one position and when its movable parts are moving at certain rates particles of a certain weight-will be removed by the air-current, while when the parts occupy other positions or are caused to move at other rates of speed (less or more, that is to say) lighter or heavier particles of said mineral material will be carried away by said current.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts hereinafter 4described, and pointed out definitely inA the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 isan end view from the recovery end of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View on line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View through one of the hoppers.

Referring to the parts by letters, A represents the air-separator tube, which issupand the discharge end is connected by asuitable pipe E with a :suction to fan E or -some other device for creating an upwardly-inclined current of air through the separator- Another object is to providetube. The pulverized material, consisting of particles of different specific gravity, is delivered into this air-separator tube from one or more hoppers B, located above it. These hoppers are connected with the ,upper part of the tube A by means of spouts C, which are comparatively narrow when viewed from the side.

as the air-separator tube. This is shown most clearly in Fig. 3. Each hopper has a contracted discharge opening or slot b,f`and below `said narrow discharge opening or slot a feedroller J, which is preferably grooved longitudinally, is mounted. This roller approximately closes the opening b, and it is rotated by suitable means-as, for example, sprocketf vout through'4 the Wall of the hoppenand is connected with a lever K. By manipulating this lever this wall b' may be so adjusted that When viewed from the end, h ow-` ever, these spouts are substantially as wide the lower or discharge vmouth b of the hopper with its threaded vupper end. Bythis meansthe delivery end of the air-separator tube may be raised or lowered, and consequently the inclination of said tube varied as desired.

A shaft G extends centrally through the air-separator tube and is mounted in suitable bearings secured to the ends of said tube. On that end which projects from the delivery end of the tube is a beveled gear g, which IOO . meshes with the beveled gear 7i on the transverse shaft H, mounted in brackets 0,3, secured to the air-separator tube. This transverse shaft may be provided with two pulleys 71/712 of different sizes, or any other means may be provided whereby it may be rotated at dierent speeds, resulting in a corresponding rotation of the shaft G in the air-separator. Secured to this shaft are arms M. There are as many of these arms as there are pockets a6 of the tube formed by the narrow flanges a4, secured to the bottom of the tube at intervals and extending about half-way around it. The function of these flanges is to prevent any of the particles which fall lthrough the air-current to the bottom of the tube from sliding by gravity to the recovery end thereof. These arms M are of skeleton formation and their outer ends extend close to the walls of the air-tube. Ascreen m is secured to said arms near their outer ends. As the shaft G rotates these arms pick up the material that has fallen to the bottom of the pockets a. of the separator-tube and liftit and throw it up and throw it outward toward the walls of the tube or sift it through their screen m and allow it to again fall down through the upwardly-incliued current of air passingthrough the separator-tube. The heavier particles will iiy, through the action of centrifugal force, against the walls of the tube, whereby the lighter particles which are not so thrown out may more effectively feel the influence of the air-current and be carried away thereby. The heavier particles fall or slide down the walls of the tube, in most cases into the next lower pocket, as formed by said iianges. Eventually these heavier particles reach the lower or recovery end of the tube and fallout through a discharge spout a5, secured thereto. The more rapidly this shaft G revolves the more frequently will the arms thereof pick up and throw the material which has settled to the bottom of the tube and the more often, therefore, will the material be brought, as described, Within the influence of the air-current, and more thoroughly, therefore, will the lighter particles be separated from the heavier particles. In this apparatus therefore there are three means provided for varying the separation: By decreasing the angle of inclination of the air-tube less of the material will be delivered at the recovery end, the particles so recovered being only the very heaviest; by increasing the speed of the shaft G the same result is attained, and by increasing the force of the air-current a like result is attained.

Having described my invention, I clain1- 1. In an air-separator, in combination, an inclined separator-tube having the partitions a4, and a discharge-opening at its lower end, feeding mechanism, means for creating an upward current of air through said tube, a rotating shaft mounted axially in said tube, and agitator-arms secured to said shaft and operating in the pockets formed by said partitions, said agitatorarms being approxi mately as wide as said pockets, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In an air-separator, in combination, an inclined air-separator tube having a recovery outlet near its lower end, a plurality of internal narrow anges secured at intervals to the bottom of said tube to form pockets, rotating agitator arms for raising material which settles into said pockets, and mechanism for causing an upward current of air through said tube, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In an air-separator, in combination, an inclined tube having a recovery-outlet near its lower end, a plurality of internal narrow iianges secured at intervals to the bottom of said tube to form pockets, a rotatable shaft in said tube, agitator-arms secured thereto whereby to raise the material which settles in said pockets, feeding mechanism for delivering into said tube the material to be acted upon, and mechanism for causing an upward current of air through said tube, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In an air-separator, in combination, a cylindrical inclined air-separator tube having the recovery-outlet near its lower end, a plurality of narrow flanges secured in it to the bottom of said tube to form pockets, a rotating shaft in said tube, skeleton arms secured to said shaft, each having a screen secured across its outer end, a feeding device for delivering into the tube the material to be acted upon, and mechanism for causing an upward current of air through said tube, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES I-I. LANE.

Witnesses:

F. D. AMMEN, ALBERT H. BATES.

ICO 

